1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor laser device, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor laser device, and a semiconductor laser array for use, e.g., in light sources for communications and for information processing devices.
2. Background Art
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2003-031905 discloses a multibeam semiconductor laser device having a plurality of semiconductor laser devices, wherein a voltage is applied between the top and bottom surface electrodes of each semiconductor laser device so that a laser beam is emitted from an end face of the semiconductor laser device.
The semiconductor laser device disclosed in the above publication is disadvantageous in that if a portion of an end face of the semiconductor laser device has been degraded due to COD, etc., degradation may spread from that portion to the rest of the end face. If the end face has been entirely degraded, then the semiconductor laser device is substantially prevented from outputting any optical power.